Fredericton police target loud motorcycles

Fredericton police are gearing up the summer fight against vehicle noise and a prime target is going to be the loud scream of motorcycles in the downtown.

Police Chief Barry McKnight said officers are working on education initiatives this year and are trying to get dealerships to encourage consumers to buy quieter vehicles.

"They're trying to supply what the consumers are looking for. And in some cases those consumers are looking for the bike they see out and around and they like the noise and the dealers are trying to comply with that," McKnight said.

"So we've been talking to the dealers, they understand what we're trying to do, they know the people we're trying to focus on and they're willing to help," McKnight said.

The city has had a vehicle noise reduction strategy in place for several years now. In the past year, police officers in Fredericton have handed out 44 warnings and three $175 fines.

Mick Glendenning, the co-owner of Sutherland Honda, said a common problem is that motorcycle owners modify exhaust systems to make the bikes louder.

If police want to crack down, they should target those kinds of modifications, he said.

"If they try hard to enforce [the noise reduction strategy], I'm sure they can do it. After you pay a $250 fine a couple of times, I'm sure people are going to put their baffles back in," he said.

Riders wonder if fines will silence bikes

Walter Moore already owns a Harley Davidson and is in the market for a new motorcycle. He said it will take more than a fine to convince motorcyclists to ride quieter bikes.

"I've got more than $50,000 in my motorcycle, so I don't think another $175 is going to matter," he said.

Moore said his next motorcycle purchase will be quieter so he can take longer trips.

"It's nice to have," he said of his current motorcycle. "After a while, the noise gets bothersome."